Persistance
by Cate Eliot
Summary: She knew the downcast glares had nothing to do with her groundbreaking work and everything to do with the mysterious eyed creature pursuing her. One thing was sure, McGarrett could be persistent too. A little one-shot set before the series started. Complete.


_**A/N: Just a little cute one-shot for the Christmas Season about Catherine and Steve back when they were young. If you liked this, I have a much more in-depth and well written one-shot dealing with the events in the episode "Ki-ilua" that I really like. I really love these two together, I was sad to see her discontinued from the show. Please let me know what you think and review. Until next time, C.E.**_

Catherine Rollins was not looking forward to going home. The Academy had just let out for the summer and everyone was excitedly chatting about their plans. Most of her peers were just happy to be back on land.

At the age of 23, Catherine was going back to live with her mother until the semester restarted again and she was able to return to her life at sea. Not happy to be away with time being away from her work for the Navy Intelligence or away from the comfort she found there, the break was non optional.

"Go home, Rin. Enjoy the land for a while. Your mission to save the world will still be here when you return," her mentor said chuckling as he packed away the laptops containing the blood, sweat, and tears of her military grade cyphers and algorithms.

She was walking back to her dorm, now fully used to the rocking back and forth of the constantly churning waves, to continue her packing with her roommates when one of them leaned towards her. Moving a lock of raven hair out of her face, she glanced over to where Elizabeth was pointing.

"_He's_ is heading this way again…"

She glanced over to where there was clearly a mass of boys heading her way lead by their fearless leader, Smooth Dog McGarrett. With dark hair and even darker mysterious eyes, McGarrett was one of the best looking men on the ship, possibly in the Academy.

And Catherine _should_ have been honored that he was interested, she _should_ accept the attention, and she _should_ be thankful that he happened to be entertain with her, and she _should_ live happily ever after with him on their island in the middle of the sea, so everyone constantly told her.

But naturally, she didn't.

Steve had no interest for the tons of girls, including her roommates, that constantly flirted with him and chased him. This was why all the girls thought she was crazy for rejecting him every time he asked her out and secretly hated her for doing it. She knew the downcast glares had nothing to do with her groundbreaking work and everything to do with the mysterious eyed creature pursuing her.

One thing was sure, McGarrett could be persistent too.

Little was known about where McGarrett came from. The mysterious islands of Hawaii were rumored to be his birthplace; though with his white skin and almost English accent, he hardly fit the part of local Hawaiian.

He was the top in all his classes, all the teachers and his superiors raved about this super marine, but he was also the most popular kid on the ship. Even though he pretended not to notice. McGarrett kept to himself and his "team" of six or seven other boys. They were the pranksters aboard the USS Missouri. No prank, hoax, or joke was organized without it going through Steven J. McGarrett first.

"Rollins!" he shouted at her.

She pulled her books closer to her chest and pursed her lips in a definite frown. She was already preparing her "no" to let another offer to dinner. Steve ran a hand through his hair and his crew stopped behind him slightly and watched his approach.

"Is there something you need, McGarrett?" she said dryly looking up at him. There was no sun on the deck of the ship. A slight windy blew his shirt around in circles and made it hard from him to look so serious.

"I just wanted to tell you that I hope you enjoy your summer and in case you ever need anything," he handed her a peach envelope with her name written carefully on the front.

He paused for a moment, watching her curiously with a small smile on his lips, like he wasn't sure how he felt about her expression and then gave her a little bow before walking back to his crew.

The girls around her giggled and she ignored them, tucking the envelope into her purse as they walked back to the dorms. The last thing she wanted to worry about was a Steve McGarrett on her break.

Little did she know how much she would come to treasure the carefully written C and the delicately folded letter inside in the envelope in the years to come.


End file.
